As a young boy I could not wait to receive my monthly edition of Highlights Magazine!
The very first thing I would do when it would arrive is turn to the hidden pictures section. I loved to find the images that were in plain sight but took some time to find.
Liu Bolin is a Chinese artist with a very interesting way of conveying his work. He is a photographer who hides himself in his images. He camouflages himself in a variety of different settings but is really hiding in plain sight. When you find him you wonder how you couldn’t see him right away.
I would love to use one of his works as the photo for this blog but for copyright reasons I am not doing so. I encourage you to check out some of his work here.
As I remember my Highlights magazine and ponder the works of Bolin it makes me think of so many people I know, including myself, who are hiding in plain sight. These are people with talents, gifts, and skills known only to a few close family or friends, or maybe even only to themselves as they hide themselves in plain sight afraid to be seen.
The reasons they are hiding in plain sight are varied. Perhaps they’ve never had an opportunity to display those gifts. Often, it’s a result of feeling like they don’t have anything to offer or their gift doesn’t measure up in their eyes to some unknown evaluator of gifts. It could be a lack of worthiness because of subtle beat downs over the course of their lives. Check out this video to see how this can happen so easily over the course of time.
One of my favorite things to do when I have a few minutes to spare is watch audition videos from the various talent shows seeking the next big star. My favorites are the singers. Often, you will see these wannabes come out before the judges and their fear and discomfort are on display for all to see. One can sense their uneasiness and desire to be anywhere else than where they are at that moment.
In their opening videos they often talk of their fear and total lack of confidence in themselves. They begin to sing and it seems as if this is a person who has been hiding in plain sight but is now coming out of the shadows. Here is one of my favorites.
I admire the courage of all of those artists, even those who don’t go through, for their courage to step into who they might become. As difficult as it may be they have put themselves into a position to succeed or fail. It takes courage to go big or go home.
To watch the performers reactions when they get a standing ovation from the judges and the audience is a great experience in itself. Suddenly, they are no longer hiding. Until now, they have only been seen by an audience other than those close to them. It’s a beautiful thing to watch.
One of the important things to remember is that our gifts and talents are not for us to hoard but for us to share.
If you haven’t seen the animated movie “Sing” I encourage you to check it out. It’s a fun movie for all ages and does a great job of bringing this story to light.
Are you hiding in plain sight and not sharing your gifts because you think you’re not worthy? Are you denying those around you something they would enjoy or something that could make a difference in their life because of your fear?
It doesn’t have to be singing. It can be anything.
It takes courage to step out of the shadows and be who you were created to be!
I challenge you to step out today and stop hiding in plain sight!
Let your light shine!
Have a STRONG and COURAGEOUS day!
